Mikk
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re:General observation - 2005/06/24 20:41
I've only ever posted to one group before, which was always helpful and easy to find stuff on, so maybe it's because I'm a kind of a newbie!
I have searched a little more and found those productive threads, with some good info, different perspectives and links to other sources of information, so thanks for that. I also note that yourself and Dutch seem to pop up in those useful threads so I can see why my post may have annoyed you in some way.
One other thing I found was that generalisation of the terms vegetarian and vegan seems to cause a lot of conflict. Not all vegans like to eat (or have ever eaten) tofu or fake-meat and not all vegetarians appear to contradict their principles by eating eggs and fish. It is acceptable to criticise those that do in this way, and ask them to argue for their position, but also to recognise that people have different reasons for their choice of diet and lifestyle. And it is a choice, just as eating meat is a choice that an individual has a right to make.
In my opinion, it's also invalid to criticise vegans who in fact do
*not* claim to cause at least some degree of animal suffering.
Fruitarians perhaps have the best case to argue that they do not cause harm to creatures, but I thought it was plain to see that vegans
*limit* the suffering of animals to a greater degree than vegetarians and omnivores. Also, not everyone can afford to be self-sufficient (I'm a student and this would be totally impractical for me; having said that, I've never tried it before, maybe I will this summer when
I'm at home!)
I can see how the issue above can be a contentious one, depending on the examples and data used, but not consuming dairy products suggests to me an absolution from the evils of dairy farming. (I am referring to the treatment and slaughter of animals here, for which I have not yet come across any justification apart from human pleasure and sustenance. The latter can just as well be found elsewhere and human pleasure in my book has to be to some extent compatible with non-violence and the well-being of other living beings).
Clearly, this lifestyle will not be perfect but would it not be an improvement?I know I've raised quite a few points in this one post (hopefully not all of them bad) but I would be happy to debate them further.
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